Chapter Ninety-One: Betting on Truth or Lies?

When Liu Mazi saw how readily Qin Feng accepted, he felt a surge of unease in his heart. Yet, given the situation, he had no choice but to press on.

“Fine! You said it yourself—everyone here heard you!” Liu Mazi, afraid Qin Feng might go back on his word, quickly shouted.

The crowd, sensing the drama, grew excited. They instinctively cleared a space for the two men, eager to see how this wager would play out.

Qin Feng ignored the curious stares around him. He took a white handkerchief from his pocket and began to gently wipe the surface of the incense burner. As he polished, he murmured softly, “The Xuande censer, also known as the Xuan censer, was a copper incense burner produced by the imperial workshops during the Xuande era of the Ming dynasty. Its graceful form, exquisite craftsmanship, and superb quality have earned it renown among collectors.”

Seeing Qin Feng’s serious demeanor only made Liu Mazi more anxious. He couldn’t help but sneer, “Boss Qin, are you planning to spin a tale and claim this broken censer is the real thing?”

“Whether it’s real or not, you’ll know soon enough,” Qin Feng replied, unfazed by Liu Mazi’s jeers. After wiping the censer, he took a small magnifying glass from his toolkit and began to examine the base of the incense burner with meticulous care.

Watching Qin Feng’s focused expression, Liu Mazi’s spirits lifted; he thought he had made the right bet. Sidling up, he said with a mocking tone, “What’s wrong, Boss Qin? Did you find something amiss? I told you this censer was a fake, but you wouldn’t listen…”

“Shut your foul mouth!” Old Li could bear it no longer and shouted angrily, “Say another word, and I’ll tear your mouth to shreds!”

Startled by Old Li’s sudden outburst, Liu Mazi shrank back, afraid to speak further, though he continued to glare at Qin Feng with venomous eyes.

Qin Feng ignored both Liu Mazi and Old Li’s quarrel. He remained fully absorbed in his examination of the censer. Only after a long moment did he finally look up, a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“Well, Boss Qin, did you find anything?” Liu Mazi couldn’t wait any longer, his voice tinged with barely concealed smugness.

Without a word, Qin Feng handed the magnifying glass to Liu Mazi. “See for yourself,” he said coolly.

Liu Mazi took the magnifier, his skepticism plain as he bent to peer at the base of the incense burner.

“This… this…” Liu Mazi’s face turned ashen. His lips quivered, but no words came.

The crowd, seeing Liu Mazi’s expression, grew even more curious. They craned their necks, eager to discover what secret the censer’s base concealed.

“Boss Qin… what’s going on?” Even Old Li stepped forward, squinting at the censer’s base for a long time, but seeing nothing, he could only turn to Qin Feng in confusion.

Qin Feng smiled, pointing to an inconspicuous corner at the base. “Look here carefully.”

Following Qin Feng’s direction, the crowd saw a line of tiny characters engraved on the base:

“Made in the Xuande period of the Great Ming.”

The strokes of those seven characters were bold and vigorous—the unmistakable imperial mark from the Xuande era of the Ming dynasty!

Those seven words struck Liu Mazi’s heart like a series of heavy blows. His face went deathly pale, his lips trembling, completely speechless.

He had thought he’d set a perfect trap to swindle Qin Feng, never expecting in the end to hoist himself with his own petard.

Instantly, the crowd erupted in excited chatter.

“Heavens! It really is a Xuande censer! That thing is priceless!”

“This young man has a sharp eye—he spotted the real deal at a glance!”

“Well, Liu Mazi’s finally met his match, haha…”

Bidding began almost at once. “I’ll pay a hundred thousand! Young man, sell this treasure to me!”

“A hundred thousand? Are you joking? I’ll offer a hundred and fifty thousand!”

As the offers climbed higher and higher, the price soon soared to half a million.

Yet Qin Feng seemed not to hear any of it. He fixed Liu Mazi with a cold, knife-edged stare.

Under that gaze, Liu Mazi’s heart quailed. Forcing a smile more pitiful than tears, he stammered, “Boss Qin, I… I…”

“A fair wager must be honored. You’re not thinking of reneging, are you?” Qin Feng’s tone was calm, but carried an authority that brooked no argument.

Liu Mazi’s face flushed and paled by turns. Of course he wanted to back out, but seeing the predatory eyes of the crowd, he knew he had no escape today.

“I… I would never go back on my word!” Liu Mazi gritted his teeth, pulled a bank card from his pocket, and handed it to Qin Feng with trembling hands. “There’s… a million in here. The password is…”

Qin Feng took the card without a second glance and tossed it to Old Li. “This is yours—consider it payment for helping me out today.”

Old Li stood stunned for a moment before joy broke out on his face. “This… this is too generous…”

“Take it. You’ve earned it.”

Qin Feng patted Old Li’s shoulder, then turned his gaze back to Liu Mazi. “You may leave.”

As if granted a royal pardon, Liu Mazi scrambled away through the crowd, half running, half crawling.

He didn’t stop until he’d reached a deserted corner, where he stood gasping for breath.

“Qin Feng! Just you wait! We are sworn enemies now!” Liu Mazi spat out a vicious curse. Then, pulling out his phone, he dialed a number. “Hello, is this Mr. Zhao? I… I have something to report to you…”

An hour later, Liu Mazi arrived at a lavishly decorated antique shop.

The shop’s owner, Zhao Taishan, was a legendary figure in the antiques world, respected by both the law and the underworld. Liu Mazi was little more than a small-time lackey under his command.

“Mr. Zhao, you must help me!” Liu Mazi wailed, crying and sniffling before Zhao Taishan. “That Qin Feng—he doesn’t respect you in the slightest!”

“Oh? What did he do?” Zhao Taishan lounged on a rosewood armchair, idly playing with a pair of jade balls in his hands as he asked.

“He… today, in front of so many people, he said that you… that you…”

Liu Mazi deliberately hesitated, trying to pique Zhao Taishan’s interest.

“What did he say? Out with it!” Zhao Taishan was growing impatient.

“He said you’re nothing but a country bumpkin, all money and no taste, unfit to appreciate true antiques!” Liu Mazi embellished the tale.

Zhao Taishan’s anger ignited, threatening to consume the entire room.

He hurled the remaining tea in his cup straight into Liu Mazi’s face—the scalding liquid mingling with Liu Mazi’s tears and snot, making for a pitiful and ludicrous sight.